Anyone Use allEtronic?

[Josh]

I had the brilliant idea the other day, about a service that would save shopping receipts online instead of printing them out. Someone else had the idea first:

http://www.alletronic.com/

Anyone use this service? I'm tempted to try it out, but I have no idea which stores participate.

[Sussudio]

That sounds like it could save many headaches. I'm interested to hear more too, how did you find out about it--just through google searching?

[Josh]

Yeah, just googled "eletronic receipts" or something and they popped right up. I hate trying to find receipts for stuff I purchase, and this would save a bunch of headaches.

[Uniquely]

Seems like a great idea. I'm definitely for ridding myself of paper and doing things electronically as often as possible. Unfortunately, I don't see a list of participating retailers anywhere on the site. I'd imagine they are quite limited at this point. If it becomes readily available at many retailers though, I'd jump on it in a heartbeat.

[Bizi Jones]

well if you talking about buying things online, then you get a confirmation receipt in your email, create a sub folder for that, problem solved.

[Sussudio]

Originally Posted by robinandtami

Seems like a great idea. I'm definitely for ridding myself of paper and doing things electronically as often as possible. Unfortunately, I don't see a list of participating retailers anywhere on the site. I'd imagine they are quite limited at this point. If it becomes readily available at many retailers though, I'd jump on it in a heartbeat.

Same...I'm trying to go paperless in whatever ways I can and would take part in this immediately if it was widely used.

I found a pretty positive news article about them:
http://www.reuters.com/article/press...008+BW20080617

And they apparently have a Twitter page too. Funny
http://twitter.com/alletronic

Originally Posted by Bizi Jones

well if you talking about buying things online, then you get a confirmation receipt in your email, create a sub folder for that, problem solved.

I think the primary issue here (at least for me) is in store receipts

[mikejet]

I always print my receipts to PDF or MS Document thingy. I hardly ever actually print anything.

[Sussudio]

Originally Posted by mikejet

I always print my receipts to PDF or MS Document thingy. I hardly ever actually print anything.

Me too! I use PrimoPDF.

[mikejet]

Originally Posted by Sussudio

Me too! I use PrimoPDF.

I use Adobe Acrobat

Came with the CS4 that my wife bought.

[Josh]

This would primarily be for my shopping receipts. I do most of my shopping online, but when the wife wants to go shopping, we go to the mall. Plus, with all the upcoming holiday shopping, it would make it easier to email the receipt to my family, rather than have to send it through the mail.

[toef]

I'm not sure how well this thing will really catch on, because it only works with credit cards.

I understand why, because imagine returning something to a store if you paid in cash:

Customer: "I bought this, and I want to bring it back."
Store: "Do you have a receipt?"
Customer: "It's on your computer thing."
Store: "How did you pay for it?"
Customer: "Cash."
Store: "When did you buy it?"
Customer: "I don't know. A few weeks ago."

So now the customer service guy has to dig through who knows how many receipts from a range of dates, with no proof that the guy standing there trying to return something ever actually purchased it. The credit card linkage is what narrows it down to a specific transaction, and the person returning the item can be verified to be the person who bought it.

But cash transactions make up a large (and growing) percentage of total transactions.

Digital receipts have been talked about for the last decade, and in that time, nothing has really changed. Even allEtronic is something like 3 years old now, and I've yet to see it used anywhere.

From what I understand, the big hold-up is that it's pretty expensive for stores to change over to this sort of system (something like 60-100k per store... so imagine the cost for a chain that has 1,000 locations). From the store's perspective, switching over just isn't worth it.

Apple is the only store I know of that emails receipts, but they're a relatively new store, and probably planned that into their system to begin with.

And I'm not sure I'd want all stores following the Apple-route, because imagine how long lines will be if everyone is asked for their email, in order to email them a receipt.

Store: "Can I have your email?"
Customer: "Yeah, it's baby girl for life two one nine nine five at aye oh ell dot com."
Store: "So is that, babygirlforlife21995@aol.com?"
Customer: "No, girl is spelled g-r-l."
Store: "Ok, so babygrlforlife21995@aol.com?"
Customer: "Oh, and for is four like the number four, not the word for".

~~~~~

Aside from the saving paper issue, I think having digital copies of receipts is pretty convenient, and something like NeatReceipts works really well for those who are interested.

[silversnake]

Originally Posted by toefer

Store: "Can I have your email?"
Customer: "Yeah, it's baby girl for life two one nine nine five at aye oh ell dot com."
Store: "So is that, babygirlforlife21995@aol.com?"
Customer: "No, girl is spelled g-r-l."
Store: "Ok, so babygrlforlife21995@aol.com?"
Customer: "Oh, and for is four like the number four, not the word for".

I can only imagine. I like having my receipts tied to my email address like when I buy online but I don't see this catching on for when I do grocery shopping etc. They just started selling plastic bags for 5 cents now so maybe in 10 years we'll see this. Would be great though, a lot less paper to deal with.